Roll top



F. L. WEST ROLL TOP Dec. 14, 1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fielder-L. M'si Filed April 28, 1941 Dec. 14, 1943.

F. L. was-r ROLL TOP Fild April 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Patented Dec. 14, 1943 ROLL TOP Fletcher L. West, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to The McCaskey Register Company, Alliance, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 28, 1941, Serial No. 390,716

6 Claims.

The invention relates to roll tops, or flexible curtains for use as closures for cabinets and the like, and more particularly to a device of this characterformed of a plurality of pivotally connected slats of channel cross-sectional shape.

Devices of this character are usually arranged to move in a fixed path, one or more portions of which are curved or arcuate, and in order to cause the flexible curtain to travel in this path guide ways or tracks are provided in the cabinet or the like for which the flexible curtain is provided as a closure, and sliding supports, such as rollers, blocks, or the like are located on the ends of all of the slats and travel in said guide ways so as to hold the flexible curtain in proper position and cause it to assume the proper curvature as it is moved from open to closed position.

It is obvious that unless these rollers or the like are provided on the ends of all of the pivoted slats the curtain will not hold its proper shape particularly in passing around the curved or arcuate portions of its path, as intermediate slats, located between those provided with rollers, would not be held in line and would be free to swing into various angular positions relative to the normal plane of the flexible curtain thus not only presenting a very bad appearance, but making it difficult to operate the curtain.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a flexible curtain formed of channel shaped slats of metal or the like having rollers, or the like on the ends of only certain ones of the slats, one or more intervening slats being pivotally connected to the slats provided with rollers, and means for causing the curtain to hold its proper shape both when flat or when passing around a curve in the guide ways or tracks.

Another object is to provide a flexible curtain or roll top of this character comprising a plurality of pivotally connected slats and spring members located through all of the slats of the curtain for holding them in proper position.

A still further object is to provide a curtain of this character in which these slats are provided with slots through which spring steel tapes or strips are located, the ends of the tapes being connected to the slats at the opposite ends of the curtain.

Still another object of the improvement is to provide a flexible curtain formed of a plurality of substantially channel cross-sectional shaped slats formed of sheet metal or the like, U-shaped metal members being spot welded or otherwise attached to opposite end portions of the slats and end plates being connected to said U-shaped members and provided with overlapping ears pivotally connected together, rollers being provided on the ends of certain of said slats, the rollers being connected to said end plates and U-shaped members of the corresponding slats as by riveting the axles of the rollers thereto.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings andfollowing description or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved roll top or flexible curtain in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a cabinet provided with the improved roll top; Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional view through one slat and associated parts of the cabinet taken as on the line 2--2, Figure 1;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary section taken as on the line 3-3, Figure 1 showing the spring strip for the flexible curtain or roll top;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary plan sectional view of a portion of one side of the flexible curtain and the adjacent portion of the cabinet and guide W y;

Fig. 5, a section on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the flexible curtain showing the same located around a curved or arcuate portion of the guide ways;

Fig. 7, a fragmentary perspective View of the end portion of one slat;

Fig. 8, a fragmentary sectional view through the end portion of one slat; and

Fig. 9, a fragmentary section taken on the line 99, Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

For the purpose of illustration the improved roll top or flexible curtain is shown mounted in a cabinet comprising side walls It), bottom wall H and back wall I2, the upper end of which is curved forwardly as at l3 terminating at a point spaced from the front of th cabinet leaving an opening between the forward edge M of said back wall and the forward edge l5 of the bottom wall, said opening being adapted to be closed by the improved roll top or flexible curtain to which the invention pertains.

The upper forward corner of the cabinet is curved around a substantially large radius as indicated at I6 and the upper rear corner I! thereof is also preferably curved around the same radius, and the side walls of the cabinet are pro"- vided with substantially channel shaped guide ways l8 extending from the forward bottom corner of the cabinet in a straight line along the front edge thereof to the top, then around the radius l6 and in a straight line across the top to the rear of the cabinet, thence around the radius I1 and down along the back of the cabinet in a straight line to the radius 19 at the lower rear corner of the cabinet, the radius [9 being preferably the same as the radius IS.

The guide way terminates in a straight forwardly disposed portion 20 located along the bottom wall of the cabinet and extending to a point spaced from the front of the cabinet at which point a stop flange 2| may be connected to the bottom wall [I and located in the path of the curtain.

The roll top or flexible curtain to which the invention pertains is made up of a plurality of sheet metal slats indicated generally at 22, each of said slats being of substantially channel crosssectional shape terminating in the opposed flanges 23.

For the purpose of improving the appearance of the device as Well as strengthening each slat a central longitudinal rib 24 may be formed in each of the sheet metal slats 22.

A U-shaped member 25 is inserted into each end of each of the channel shaped slats 22 and connected thereto as by spot welding, the outer ends of these U-shaped members being substantially flat as indicated at 26 and extending slightly beyond the ends of the slat.

The corners of the U-shaped members 25 are cut away as at 2'! to allow for the pivotal connection of the slats as will be later described.

An end plate 28 is attached to the flat outer end 26 of each U-shaped member preferabl by spot welding, and in order to properly position the end plates upon the U-shaped members projections 29 may be formed upon the inner face of each end plate, as by stamping; these projections being received in the apertures 30 formed in the flat outer end 26 of the corresponding U- shaped member.

Each of the end plates 28 has a substantially half-round ear 3| formed at each end and provided with an aperture 32, the ears 3| of adjacent end plates overlapping so that rivets or the like as indicated at 33 may be located through the apertures 32 for the purpose of pivotally or hingedly connecting the slats together.

For the purpose of mounting the flexible curtain thus formed in the guide ways I8, rollers may be pro-vided upon the ends of certain of the slats. In the form of the invention hown in the drawings, sliding supports in the form of rollers are mounted upon the ends of alternate slats so that between each pair of slats provided with rollers is located an intermediate slat without rollers.

However, it should be understood that this is only for the purpose of illustration and in carrying out the invention there may be two or more slats without rollers between each pair of slats provided with rollers.

The rollers are preferably mounted upon short axles 34 which may be shouldered as at 35 to bear against the outer end of the corresponding end plate 28, and provided with the reduced inner end 36 received through suitable registering apertures 31 and 38 in the end plate and U-shaped member, respectively, the inner end of this reduced portion of the axle being riveted against the inner side of the flat portion 28 of the U-shaped member forming a head 39.

It will be obvious that this construction will be sufficient to attach the end plate to the U- shaped member, without the necessity of spot welding these two parts together, although it is of course, desirable that the end plates be spot welded to the U-shaped member of the slats which are not provided with rollers.

An annular groove 40 may be provided near the outer end of each axle 34 forming a ball race for the anti-friction balls 4| upon which the roller 42 is mounted.

Each roller may comprise an annular sheet metal shell 43 of substantially channel crosssectional shape enclosing a pair of metal rings 44 grooved as at 45 to receive the ball bearing 4|.

For the purpose of holding all of the slats in alignment, and permitting the rollers to be eliminated from intermediate slats, one or more spring meta-l strips or tapes 46 may be located longitudinally through the flexible curtain.

Each of these spring metal tapes is shown as located through slots 41 formed in the side walls of the channel shaped slats near the bottom flanges 23 thereof so as to locate the tape close to the pivotal points 33 of the slats.

The opposite ends of the spring metal tapes 46 are preferably connected to the end slats of the curtain and for this purpose an angular bracket 48 may be spot welded or otherwise attached to the interior of each end slat and the end portion of the tape 46 is connected to said bracket as by a bolt 49, although it should be understood that these spring tapes may be riveted, welded, or otherwise connected to the slats.

As shown in the drawings the slat 22.1 at the lower or front end of the curtain may be of slightly different construction, the rib 24 thereon being preferably eliminated and the end plates 28a thereof being elongated so as to mount two rollers 42 thereon.

In actual practice it has been found that by providing these spring metal tapes the rollers may be eliminated upon one or more intervening slats between each pair of slats provided with rollers, and the tapes will hold all of the slats in alignment both in flat position and around the curves of the guide ways.

With this construction thus at least one-half of the usual number of rollers may be eliminated, considerably reducing the expense of producing the improved flexible curtain and also reducing the friction in operation of the curtain.

In the closed position of the device as shown in Figure 1, the flexible curtain is located around the curved portions l6 and I! of the guide ways while in the open position the curtain is located around the curved portions l1 and L).

In order to prevent any jar or shock when the curtain is opened or closed, spring bumper devices are located within the cabinet in proper locations to absorb the shock when the curtain is moved to either extreme of its movement.

One of these bumper devices is located near the upper rear portion of the cabinet and the other is located in the lower portion of the cabinet near the forward end of the straight portion 20 of the guide way.

Each of these bumper devices comprises a pair of angular brackets 50 welded or otherwise attached to opposite side walls ID of the cabinet, a coil spring 5| being connected at one end to each bracket 50 and at the other end to a rod or bar 52 located in the path of the notched ears 53 carried by the slat 22 at the inner end of the flexible curtain.

When the curtain is moved to closed position as shown in Figure 1, the upper notches 54 in the ears 53 will engage the rod 52 of the uppermost bumper device stretching the springs thereof as shown in Figure 1.

In the same manner when the flexible curtain is moved to open position the lowermost notches 55 of the cars 53 will engage the rod 52 of the lower bumper device absorbing the shock as the curtain moves to fully open position.

I claim:

1. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of substantially channel shape slats, U-shape members mounted within the end portions of the slats, end plates connected to the outer ends of the U-shape members, ears upon the end plates overlapping similar ears upon adjacent end plates, means hingedly connecting the overlapping ears together, supports upon the end plates of certain of the slats only, guide ways in which the supports are located, the slats having slots therein, and a spring metal tape located through said slots, said tape being movabl longitudinally relative to all of the slats except the slats at opposite ends of the curtain and connected at its ends to the slats at opposite ends of the curtain.

2. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of substantially channel-shape slats, U-shape members mounted Within the end portions of the slats, end plates connected to the outer ends of the U- shape members and extending beyond the open sides of the slats, oppositely disposed ears upon the outer portions of the end plates, said ears overlapping similar ears upon adjacent end plates, pivot pins hingedly connecting the overlapping ears together, rollers journaled upon the end plates of certain of the slats, guide ways in which the rollers are movable, the channel-shape slats having slots in the outer portion of their sides, a spring metal tape located loosely through said slots, said tape being movable longitudinally relative to all of the slats except the slats at opposite ends of the curtain and connected at its ends to the slats at opposite ends of the curtain.

3. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of substantially channel-shape slats, U-shape members mounted within the end portions of the slats, end plates connected to the outer ends of the U- shape members and extending beyond the open sides of the slats, oppositely disposed ears upon the outer portions of the end plates, said ears overlapping similar ears upon adjacent end plates, pivot pins hingedly connecting the overlapping ears together, the axes of the pivot pins being located at the outer edges of the opposite sides of adjacent channel-shape slats, rollers journaled upon the end plates of certain of the slats, guide ways in which the rollers are movable, the channel-shape slats having slots in the outer portion of their sides, a spring metal tape located loosely through said slots, said tape being movable longitudinally relative to all of the slats except the slats at opposite ends of the curtain and connected at its ends to the slats at opposite ends of the curtain.

4. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of substantially channel-shape slats, U-shape members mounted within the end portions of the slats, end plates connected to the outer ends of the U- shape members and extending beyond the open sides of the slats, oppositely disposed ears upon the outer portions of the end plates, said ears overlapping similar ears upon adjacent end plates, pivot pins hingedly connecting the overlapping ears together, rollers journaled upon the end plates of certain of the slats, guide Ways in which the rollers are movable, the channel-shape slats having slots in the outer portion of their sides, a spring metal tape located loosely through said slots, and close to the axes of the pivot pins, said tape being movable longitudinally relative to all of the slats except the slats at opposite ends of the curtain and connected at its ends to the slats at opposite ends of the curtain.

5. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of substantially channel-shape slats, U-shape members mounted within the end portions of the slats, end plates connected to the outer ends of the U- shape members and extending beyond the open sides of the slats, oppositely disposed ears upon the outer portions of the end plates, said ears overlapping similar ears upon adjacent end plates, pivot pins hingedly connecting the overlapping ears together, the axes of the pivot pins being located at the outer edges of the opposed sides of adjacent channel-shape slats, rollers journaled upon the end plates of certain of the slats, guide ways in which the rollers are movable, the channel-shape slats having slots in the outer portion of their sides, a spring metal tape located loosely through said slots, and close to the axes of the pivot pins, said tape being movable longitudinally relative to all of the slats except the slats at opposite ends of the curtain and connected at its ends to the slats at opposite ends of the curtain.

6. A flexible curtain comprising a plurality of slats, means hingedly connecting the slats together in edgewise relation, sliding supports upon opposite ends of certain of the slats, guide ways in which the supports are located, the slat at the innermost end of the curtain having an ear thereon, and coil spring bumpers extending transversely across the path of said ear in position to be engaged and flexed by said ear near the open and closed positions of the curtain for absorbing shock when the curtain is moved to open and closed positions.

FLETCHER L. WEST. 

